POLICE have issued a CCTV image of a man they want to question after a woman was groped whilst trying to enjoy a drink in a beer garden with friends.

The 22-year-old victim was outside the Blonde Barrel in Times Square, Newcastle, when she was assaulted.

A man she did not know approached her from behind, put his hands on her waist and groped her legs.

She has challenged the man at which point he has laughed off the exchange and left the bar with a number of associates.

As the group left in the direction of Central Station the woman and her friends again challenged the male about his behaviour.

At this point another woman, who identified herself as the suspect’s daughter, has said her father was intoxicated.

The victim has reported the incident, which happened at 6.30pm on Saturday, May 29, to police and officers are treating it as a sexual assault and are working to identify the man in question.

The Northern Echo:

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "We will not tolerate this type of behaviour and it goes without saying that everyone should be able to visit the city centre without being groped by a stranger.

"The man in this image was in the bar at the time and we hope he could help our investigation.

"So we would ask him, or anyone who knows his identity, to contact us through our website, or by calling 101, and quoting reference 057442V/21."

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